Device for packing fruits



{Nb-Model.) I 2 Sheets-Sheet 1. .J'. M. DAVIES. DEVICE FORPACKINGFRUITS.

No. 4 4,150. Patented Dec, 1, 189 1.

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J. M. DAVIES. DEVICE FOR PACKING FRUITS.

No. 464,150, Patented-Deb. 1', 1891.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN M. DAV IES, OF FLORIN, CALIFORNIA.

DEVICE'FOR PACKlNG FRUITS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 464,150, dated December1, 1891.

Application filed September 29, 1890. erial lilo-366,542. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN M. DAVIES, a citizen of the United States,residing at Florin, in the county of Sacramento and State of California,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Fruit-PackingDevices, of which the following is a specification.

Myinvention relates to a device or machine for packing fruits in basketsor boxes for the market; and it consists in the described constructionand combination of parts by which I produce a machine or device tofacilitate the work of filling and packing fresh fruits and berries ofall kinds in boxes or recepta-' cles for market.

The principal parts of the machine consist of a table or bed hingedatone side to a bench or fixed support'and capable of being inverted orturned over upon that point of attachment and four upright plates orthin wings projecting through slits or apertures in the invertible tablearound the four sides of a square or rectangle and attached at theirlower ends to a reciprocating-head, by which they can be withdrawn frombeneath the table downward below the top surface of the table. Whenprojected through the slots in the table, the four plates form standingsides of a receptacle equal in capacity to the fruit-box and of suitablesize to take or be covered by the inverted box, that part of the hingedtable inclosed between the standing plates forming the bottom of thefruit-receptacle; These parts are constructed and combined for operationsubstantially as represented in the accompanying drawings, in which-Figure 1 represents the machine in side elevation with thefruit-receptacle filled and the fruit-box in inverted position over thereceptacle ready to be brought down around it.

Fig. 2 is a top view. Fig. 3 is a vertical section taken longitudinallythrough the hinged table and adjacent parts at about the line m m, Fig.2. Fig. 4: is a view in isometrical perspective, on an enlarged scale,of the parts that form the fruit-receptacle. Fig. 5 is an elevation invertical section of the stationary bench or support, the hinged table,and the plates that form the sides of the fruit-receptacle, with thetable thrown back or raised and the platesdrawn down below the top ofthe bench.

.A indicates a stationary platform or ben'ch with supports A* to raiseit a convenient height above the floor, and B a vertically-movable headon a spring-elevated rod or plunger B, for which a support and guide areprovided in a crossbar A suspended below the bench by hangers A.

O is arectangular opening in the top of the bench.

D is a hinged table attached at one side to a fixed strip D at the frontof the bench and capable of being turned over one hundred and eightydegrees from its position of rest upon the platform A.

p E is a center block with a concave top surface fixed in the center ofa rectangular opening in the table by straps f fat the corners and ofsuch smaller size than the opening that slits or narrow apertures e eare left around the four sides of the block.

G are four plates of sheet metal attached by spring-arms G to themovable head 13 and held by those parts away from the head in uprightposition. They set in line with and are projected through the slits e bythe upward movement of the head, while the re verse movement of thatpart draws them down below the top of the table. In these movements theplates are confined and kept in position by screws h 72, that takethrough slots g g in the plates and into the stationary sides A A of theframing beneath the bench.

I is a depressing-treadle pivoted at one end to a cross-piece betweenthe legs of the bench and having the rod or plunger B, attached to it bythe end that is broughtthrough the guide A By pressing down the frontend of the treadle the head Bis drawn down and the spring 79 iscompressed. That part then acts to throw up the head and project theplates through slits in the table when the treadle is released.

In their upward movement the plates G bear against the overhanging edgesof the opening 0 and are bent inward toward the center to conform to thetapering sides of the boxes or receptacles that are most commonly usedfor berries and small fruits; but for 100 boxes wlth straight sides theplates do not require to assume such inclined positions. The opening 0can then be formed to let the plates take aperpendicular position. Atthat side or end of the bench Where the invertible table is hinged is ashelf H, so placed that it presents a surface for the bottom of thefilled box to rest on when the table is turned over one hundred andeighty degrees from off the top of the bench. This requires the shelf tobe set below the plane of the bench-top aver- .tical distance aboutequal to the depth of the boxes which are to be filled, and thissupporting-surface can be fixed permanently to the .side of the bench,or provision can be made for moving it up or down and fixing it at anypoint, as the sizes of the boxes may require.

The operation of filling boxes in this machine is carried onsubstantially as follows: WVhen the invertible table is turned down fiatupon the bench, the movable wings or plates that form the sides of thefruit-receptacle are projected through the slits or openings and areheld up by the coil-spring beneath the head. Into the receptacle thusformed the fruit is nicely arranged in lay ers,.beginning on the bottomand working up ward until the space is filled with the fruit. Thefruit-box held in inverted position is then brought over the receptacleand pressed down until its rim rests upon the table. The sliding platesare then withdrawn from the box by depressing the treadle, and the boxcontaining the fruit remains on the table in inverted position. To bringit into upright position it is only necessary to hold the box by onehand placed upon its bottom and with the other hand raise the hingedtable and turn it down over the shelf at one side. As

the fruit is laid and packed from the top of the fruit-box downward orthat the top layers are laid first in the operation of packing, a close,regular, and attractive appearance can be produced without any specialskill on the part of the operator.

Having thus fully described myinvention, what I claim, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a machine or device for packing fruit, the combination of aninvertible table forming a base for receiving the fruit and beingslotted, as described, with sliding wings or plateshaving a spring forkeeping them normally projected through the invertible table, and meansfor withdrawing the wings or plates, substantially as set forth.

2. In a machine or device for packing fruit, the combination of astationary bench or table, an invertible table capable of movement onehundred and eighty degrees, sliding plates or wings constitutingstanding sides of a fruit- -receptacle of which the invertible tableforms the bottom, having slits or openings through which said plates areprojected, a sliding or movable head beneath said invertible tablehaving the plates attached thereto, a spring applied to hold up saidhead, and a lover or treadle having connection With the head as means towithdraw the plates from position above the surface of the invertibletable, substantially as described.

3. The herein-described machine for filling and packing fruit in boxesfor market, consisting, essentially, of a suitable bench or table, theplates or wings projected through the table and constituting standingsides of a fruit-receptacle adapted to take the fruit-box over it in aninverted position, the standing head having the plates attached to it,an invertible device forming the bottom of said

